Base station, service providing device, user equipment, mobile communication system, and communication control method therefor

• US 9,167,620 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2011
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Tsutsui, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): HUANG, WEN WU
• Application Number:
  US13/814,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20130143624A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,603 Days
• Field of Search: 455/423
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

In order to improve utilization efficiency of communication resources in a case of acquiring a reception status at a user equipment of a radio signal upon providing LCS, an E-SMLC (40) forming a mobile communication system requests an eNB (10) to notify a result of measurement on a reception status at a UE (20) of a radio signal at least from the eNB (10) for a predetermined number of times. The E-SMLC (40) calculates a location of the UE (20) using the result of the measurement when the notification is performed for the number of times, and provides a service corresponding to the location. In response to the request, the eNB (10) instructs the UE (20) to perform the measurement for the number of times and sequentially notifies the E-SMLC (40) of the result of the measurement reported from the UE (20) for the number of times. The UE (20) performs measurement on the reception status for the number of times and sequentially notifies the eNB (10) of the result of the measurement for the number of times.

Claims

1. A base station comprising:

a first communication unit that wirelessly communicates with a user equipment;

a second communication unit that communicates with a service providing device for providing a service corresponding to a location of the user equipment; and

a control unit that controls the first and second communication units,

wherein the control unit is configured to;

in response to one request from the service providing device, instruct the user equipment to perform a first measurement on a reception status of a radio signal from the own base station, and indicate to the user equipment a number of reports for the user equipment to report a result of the first measurement, the number of reports being requested by the service providing device;

further instruct, in response to the one request, the user equipment to report a result of a second measurement on a reception status of a radio signal from a first base station disposed adjacent to the own base station for the number of reports, and to perform the second measurement in accordance with a predetermined condition for measurement;

further instruct, in response to the one request, the user equipment to report a result of a third measurement on a reception status of a radio signal from a second base station disposed adjacent to the own base station for the number of reports, and to perform the third measurement regardless of the predetermined condition for measurement;

sequentially notify the service providing device of the result of the first measurement to the third measurement reported from the user equipment for the number of reports; and

autonomously complete a response to the one request when the notification is performed for the number of reports.

2. The base station according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit is further configured to:

select, in response to the one request, as each of the first and second base stations, a base station that uses a radio frequency different from the own base station or to which radio access technology different from the own base station is applied;

indicate to the user equipment a timing for the user equipment to perform each of the second and third measurements; and

instruct the user equipment to disable configuration regarding the timing upon completion of each of the second and third measurements.

3. The base station according to claim 2, wherein the control unit is further configured to further instruct, while waiting for the report, the user equipment not to disable the configuration even upon the completion of each of the second and third measurements.

4. The base station according to claim 2, wherein the control unit is further configured to select, as the different base station, a base station whose coverage of a cell includes coverage of a cell formed by the own base station.

5. The base station according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to select, as each of the first and second base stations, an intra-frequency base station that uses a same radio frequency as the own base station, an inter-frequency base station that uses a radio frequency different from the own base station, or an inter-RAT (Radio Access Technology) base station to which wireless access technology different from the own base station is applied.

6. The base station according to claim 5, wherein the control unit is configured to select, as each of the inter-frequency base station and the inter-RAT base station, a base station whose coverage of a cell includes coverage of a cell formed by the own base station.

7. A user equipment comprising:

a communication unit that wirelessly communicates with a base station; and

a control unit that controls the communication unit,

wherein the control unit is configured to;

perform, in response to an instruction from the base station, a first measurement on a reception status of a radio signal at least from the base station for a number of times indicated by the base station;

perform, in response to the instruction, a second measurement on a reception status of a radio signal from a first base station that is disposed adjacent to the base station for the number of times, and to perform the second measurement in accordance with a predetermined condition for measurement;

further perform, in response to the instruction, a third measurement on a reception status of a radio signal from a second base station disposed adjacent to the base station for the number of reports, and to perform the third measurement regardless of the predetermined condition for measurement; and

sequentially report the result of the first measurement to the third measurement to the base station for the number of times.

8. A base station comprising:

a first communication unit that wirelessly communicates with a user equipment;

a second communication unit that communicates with a service providing device for providing a service corresponding to a location of the user equipment; and

a control unit that controls the first and second communication units,

wherein the control unit is configured to;

instruct, in response to a request from the service providing device, the user equipment to perform a first measurement on a reception status of a radio signal from a first base station disposed adjacent to the own base station, and to perform the first measurement in accordance with a predetermined condition for measurement;

instruct, in response to the request, the user equipment to perform a second measurement on a reception status of a radio signal from a second base station disposed adjacent to the own base station, and to perform the second measurement regardless of the predetermined condition for measurement;

notify the service providing device of the result of the first and second measurements reported from the user equipment.

9. A user equipment comprising:

a communication unit that wirelessly communicates with a base station; and

a control unit that controls the communication unit,

wherein the control unit is configured to;

perform, in response to an instruction from the base station, a first measurement on a reception status of a radio signal from a first base station that is disposed adjacent to the base station, and to perform the first measurement in accordance with a predetermined condition for measurement;

perform, in response to the instruction, a second measurement on a reception status of a radio signal from a second base station disposed adjacent to the base station, and to perform the second measurement regardless of the predetermined condition for measurement; and

report the result of the first and second measurements to the base station.